St. Louis Cardinals star Willson Contreras needed to keep an eye on his coaches rather than the ball on Monday night in the team’s 7-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Contreras was ejected after he struck out in the seventh inning. He erupted in anger at home plate umpire Derek Thomas as he walked back to the dugout and needed to be held back by a few Cardinals coaches, including manager Oliver Marmol.
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The first baseman still had the bat in his hand and threw the bat at first base coach Brant Brown.
Contreras said he didn’t argue any pitches.
“I didn’t argue any pitch,” Contreras said. “All I said was, ‘Call the pitches on both sides because you’re missing for us.’ Then I turned around. The next thing I hear, he threw me out. There’s no reason for it. Apparently, he heard something (he thought) I said. I did not say that.”
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Crew chief Jordan Baker told a pool reporter that Contreras and Marmol were “saying vulgar stuff” to Thomas. Baker added that Contreras made contact with the umpire.
“We’re going to review the tape and what the office sends to us, and we’ll send it in, send the report in to Major League Baseball and let them handle that part of it,” Baker said.
Contreras said he apologized to Brown for throwing the bat.
He finished the game 1-for-4 with two RBI before he was tossed.
St. Louis improved to 65-67 with the win but remained in fourth place in the National League Central division ahead of Pittsburgh. The Pirates fell to 57-75.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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